1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a method for navigation through medical image information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
DE 199 58 443 C2 describes a control device for influencing a representation of medical image information. The medical image information is slice images that are graphically displayed as a component of a slice image stack reproducing the sequence of the slices in a z-direction. A radio control element that can move freely in space is provided for navigation. A movement of the radio control element in the x-y plane effects a corresponding movement of a pointer element on a screen. For navigation in the z-direction, i.e. relative to the sheets in the slice image stack, it is necessary to move the radio control element in the z-direction. The navigation within a slice image ensues by a movement of the radio control element in the x- and/or y-direction. The known radio control element requires a relatively high manufacturing expenditure. Its handling is intricate and requires practice.
Moreover, according to the prior art it is known to implement perfusion examinations by means of x-ray computed tomography. For this purpose, a contrast agent is administered to a patient. Slice image sequences of the region of the patient to be examined are subsequently acquired in a number of repetitions. Each slice image of a slice image sequence or of a slice image set is thereby provided with time information corresponding to the respective acquisition time.
Each slice image set can in turn be graphically displayed as a slice image stack on a screen A selection field inserted in the form of what is known as a “dog-ear” as well as scroll bars are provided at one corner of the slice image stack for selection of a specific slice image. A selection of such selection fields with a conventional computer mouse enables a paging through the slice image stack until the location of a sought slice image.
To response to specific diagnostic questions, it is necessary for the treating physician to observe the chronological change of the distribution of the contrast agent within a slice. According to the prior art, this requires to separately seeking out the slice images of the same slice from each slice image set. This requires a high time expenditure.